This invention relates to structural wall elements, especially prefabricated elements. More particularly the invention relates to improved load bearing wall elements, for use in the erection of prefabricated buildings.
Prior art wall elements suitable for prefabrication require additional means to maintain the elements in their desired position, for example, means of a load bearing truss or framework, or by other connection elements.
Such prior art wall elements may have a sufficient stability of their own to use them in light construction. By using additional connection means these prior art elements may be assembled to form a statically stable system for supporting sufficient loads. Such wall elements have the advantage that they can be readily assembled. In most cases these known wall elements are interchangeable and individual wall sections are replaceable by other similar sections, for example, where other types of apertures are desired for walls or windows, and/or where different sanitary and/or electrical installations are desired. Thus, a building may be modified after its construction to later accommodate such features in accordance with standardized features.
Such prefabricated structures of prior art elements have the disadvantage, however, that they have a relatively low strength and no interlocking features. Hence, these structures may be employed only for single story, or at the most for two story buildings.
Prefabricated construction systems have been developed in the Soviet Union for overcoming the above disadvantages of prior art systems, wherein interengaging connections between individual elements are provided by tongue and groove joints. The manufacture of these tongue and groove elements, however, requires the use of special concrete as well as great accuracy in the shaping of the tongues and grooves to assure proper interlocking engagement. Thus, extensive manufacturing plant systems as well as construction equipment are required in connection with building elements of this type.